Immokalee Fire Control District prepares for emergency meeting

Immokalee Fire Control District firefighter and union president Tom Cunningham, left, rubs his head under stress as he and Lt. David Patterson talk about an emergency meeting that will take place with the district's fire commissioners Tuesday evening. The meeting is being held after six out of the 21 firefighters and the fire chief were laid off and Station 31 on Carson Road was shut down Friday, May 20, 2011 in Immokalee. Lexey Swall/Staff

Station 31 on Carson Road was shut down Friday, May 20, 2011 in Immokalee after six of 21 firefighters and the fire chief were laid off. There are now two stations - one on New Market Road in Immokalee and one in Ave Maria - open in the district. Four to five firefighters will cover the 234 square miles that comprise the district each day. Lexey Swall/Staff

In preparation for an emergency fire commission meeting, firefighters with the Immokalee Fire Control District lay out the bunker gear of the six firefighters who were unexpectedly laid off last week. After the layoffs, there are four or five firefighters on each shift to cover the district's 234 square miles each day. Lexey Swall/Staff

Immokalee Fire Control District firefighter and union president Tom Cunningham, left, talks with the union lawyer about the legality of not allowing public comment during an emergency meeting that will take place with the district's fire commissioners Tuesday evening. Cunningham wants the public to be able to address the fire commissioners, but according to Cunningham, that public comment was stricken from the agenda. The meeting is being held after six out of the 21 firefighters and the fire chief were laid off and Station 31 on Carson Road was shut down Friday, May 20, 2011 in Immokalee. Lexey Swall/Staff

Immokalee Fire Control District firefighters prep the firehouse for an emergency meeting that will take place with the district's fire commissioners Tuesday evening. The meeting is being held after six out of the 21 firefighters and the fire chief were laid off and Station 31 on Carson Road was shut down Friday, May 20, 2011 in Immokalee. Lexey Swall/Staff

Immokalee Fire Control District Fire Marshall Leo Rodgers, left, sits in the office Tuesday before an emergency fire commission meeting Tuesday. Rodgers has been with the department since 1981 and is unsure if he will still have a job after the meeting Tuesday night. His son, Cody Rodgers was one of six firefighters who were laid off from the department unexpectedly last week. Lexey Swall/Staff

Tom Cunningham, right, talks with firefighters Alan Davis, left, and Justin Strickland, right, about an emergency meeting that will take place with the district's fire commissioners Tuesday evening. The meeting is being held after six out of the 21 firefighters and the fire chief were laid off and Station 31 on Carson Road was shut down Friday, May 20, 2011 in Immokalee. Lexey Swall/Staff

Immokalee Fire Control District Fire Marshall Leo Rodgers, left, does work in his office Tuesday before an emergency fire commission meeting Tuesday. Rodgers has been with the department since 1981 and is unsure if he will still have a job after the meeting Tuesday night. His son, Cody Rodgers was one of six firefighters who were laid off from the department unexpectedly last week. Lexey Swall/Staff

In preparation for an emergency fire commission meeting, Immokalee Fire Control District firefighter Justin Strickland, right, and others lay out the bunker gear of the six firefighters who were unexpectedly laid off from their department last week. After the layoffs, there are four or five firefighters on each shift to cover the district's 234 square miles each day. Lexey Swall/Staff

Volunteer firefighter Michael Kaiser sweeps up the lobby of the Immokalee Fire Control District station in preparation for an emergency meeting that will take place with the district's fire commissioners Tuesday evening. The meeting is being held after six out of the 21 firefighters and the fire chief were laid off and Station 31 on Carson Road was shut down Friday, May 20, 2011 in Immokalee. Lexey Swall/Staff

Tom Cunningham, right, talks with firefighters Alan Davis, center, and Justin Strickland, left, about an emergency meeting that will take place with the district's fire commissioners Tuesday evening. The meeting is being held after six out of the 21 firefighters and the fire chief were laid off and Station 31 on Carson Road was shut down Friday, May 20, 2011 in Immokalee. Lexey Swall/Staff